Be the Change: A book review

I'm learning about mindfulness, hoping for it to help me cope with Crohn's disease and writing.

Why writing?

Mindfulness can be very creative if you allow it to be. The process allows you to think all the thoughts ricocheting around in your brain, while you stand back and allow them to come through without judgement. Not only do you get to relax, you get to laugh at yourself. One of my random thoughts was a giant mountain of red grapes with a banana on top. Perhaps my way of creating an edible ice cream sundae since the real thing would put me in bed for a few days.

I am done editing my first pass on The Light and the Flame, but I want to read through it one more time. All these new things pop into my brain that I'd like to add to the book, but they would require a complete rewrite and that's not possible. However, I can fit them into book three which I thought was completed.

Ah, the benefits of mindfulness.

So, how do you do it?

I sit in a chair, close my eyes, and pay attention to the sounds around me. Normally, I'm lost in thought so this is different for me. It is a way to take me out of myself and into the world. Kinda the opposite of regular meditation. Mindfulness makes me aware of the world around me and less about myself or my thoughts in any case.

In keeping with my new rules of life engagement which is to largely disengage when possible, I'd like to introduce you to the book, Be the Change: How Meditation Can Transform You and the World. One aspect of the book discusses inner stillness and its calming affect on wild animals. Actually, it works on domesticated animals as well. If I'm not working, you can find me (and my husband) surrounded by our dogs, or deer, or even a wild bluejay I call Boo.  Or did until he left in the fall. Here's hoping he returns this Spring.

Be the Change is well worth reading if you are interested in taking a c loser look at yourself. I know, for me, it took many years before I could look deep into my soul and accept myself for what I was. Not that there was anything inherently bad in me, I was just afraid to look. Once I did, and once I discovered the principle of forgiveness, that it was really about you and not the person who hurt you, I opened a pathway to peace.

Take a look at the book, do some research on mindfulness, or just read an article or two to get you started. It is fun and relaxing, though I don't think you'll find me hugging a tree, oh, wait, I did that yesterday.... *grin*

Back to editing!

Louann

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